Last month's terror alert at airports including Gatwick slowed passenger growth and cost operator BAA £13 million, the company has said.

BAA said its UK airports, which also include Heathrow and Stansted, handled 14.3 million passengers in August, about five per cent less than the 15 million forecast before the scare.

It also said the lost revenues and increased security measures cost it £13 million as more than 2,000 flights were cancelled across its UK airports.

Security was increased after police foiled an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic airliners.

BAA was criticised by airlines for its handling of the terror alert, which cost British Airways £40 million as it cancelled 1,280 flights.

Hundreds of thousands of passengers were left stranded at airports as planes were grounded and luggage went missing.

But Spanish-owned BAA said that less than two per cent of its 116,000 flights were cancelled at its UK airports in August.

It added that the total number of passengers who did travel - 14.3 million - was 0.3 per cent higher than the figure for the same month last year, although numbers then were hit by strikes by caterers and baggage handlers at Heathrow.

BAA said its worst-hit airport last month was Heathrow - where BA is the biggest airline - with passenger numbers down 2.2 per cent at just under six million.

Passenger numbers were up 2.1 per cent at Gatwick at 3.8 million and 4.9 per cent at Stansted at 2.4 million. They were also up at Southampton and Aberdeen, although they fell at Glasgow and Edinburgh.